Thursday, December 31st 2009

Annoyed with all the bookmarks on your browser of those to-die-for booties, embellished dresses, and beautiful baubles? So were we. Shopbop’s made it simple to see all your best-loved pieces in one place. Just click on the heart under any item you long for, and it will be added to your very own personalized page of favorites. We’re sure you’ll adore it.

Thursday, December 31st 2009

Now’s the time to formulate a resolution or two, but knowing myself as well as I do, I’m certain any hollow promise made (get to the gym four times a week; eat out less; read more Austen, less Us Weekly; etc.; etc.) will be broken almost as soon as it’s uttered. So rather than commit to a goal I won’t keep, I’m resolving to add pieces to my wardrobe that I know I’ll wear through the duration of 2010.

Wednesday, December 30th 2009

With the arrival of the resort collections, we’ve seen plenty of khaki and navy, stripes and solids come through What’s New. But something a bit bolder has managed to creep in with those wear-anytime neutrals: tropical floral prints. These spirited patterns can be a bit intimidating, especially when faced with (at least) three more snow-bound months, but I’m determined to give them a shot this resort season, if only to lighten an otherwise wool-laden winter wardrobe.

Wednesday, December 30th 2009

My best friend got engaged on Christmas Eve, and it sounds like the wedding will take place somewhere near this little slice of paradise. As any good bridal attendant would, I told her first “congrats!”, and then, “hurry up and arrange this thing—I’ve got outfits to plan!”

Tuesday, December 29th 2009

“Get them tight. They stretch.” This oft-repeated tidbit of premium denim fit advice could go double-duty as the style directive of the past decade, an era that brought us not only painted-on, low-rise women’s jeans, but also a term coined to describe their downside: “muffin top.” And it wasn’t just designer denim that fit like a second skin. The early Aughts saw Juicy Couture velour hoodies, James Perse tees, and Theory sweaters downsized to the point where they appeared to have been filched from a fifth-grader’s closet. (It’s no coincidence Pilates also gained popularity during this time.)

But fashion is fueled by change, and the shift to more androgynous looks and unstructured silhouettes we’ve seen over the last few seasons (witness Current/Elliott's game-changing boyfriend jeans or celebrities snapping up KAIN Label slouchy tees) signaled that a more relaxed approach was taking hold, an offhand brand of sexiness was capturing our imaginations. It reached critical mass on the fall 2009 runways where ADAM by Adam Lippes showed a shoulder-baring sweatshirt over a sweeping gown, Thakoon paired a boyfriend blazer with sequined harem pants, and Alexander Wang put his modern femme fatale muse in an oversized button-down that brought to mind a man without a shirt.

But this isn’t to say the relaxed look owes everything to the runway. On the streets today girls are styling sweatpants with heels in a canny repurposing of a sporty classic. (I’m a huge fan.) What’s next? Spring 2010 promises a soft pant that I’m betting will be the heir apparent to the must-have harem.

Tuesday, December 29th 2009

My brother’s getting married in Orlando in February, and I finally booked my flight last week (the last among my plan-ahead family, who have all had their travel arrangements situated for two months or more). The big day’s fresh in my mind because of it, and while the dress I’ll wear the day of has been chosen for me, I get to decide what to wear to the wedding eve’s rehearsal dinner. A few contenders:

Monday, December 28th 2009

If ’70s fashion is synonymous with DVF wrap dresses and Halston jumpsuits, the ’80s with neon-n-lace Material Girls, and the ’90s with baby-doll dresses and flea market flannels, what about the ’00s? With the start of a new decade, we can’t help but look back to what defined the last one. And while the high-fashion T-shirt, predatory platforms for day, and resurgence of bold gold jewelry were pivotal, there was no greater fashion invention than premium denim. Maybe ever. The premium jeans phenomenon was so major that most of us can remember the exact moment we tried our first.

“My first pair was 7 For All Mankind boot-cut jeans back in 2000,” says Alana, Shopbop’s denim buyer. “I remember going to visit my girlfriend at college and was wearing them out to the hot nightclub that everyone went to on Saturday night. I remember my girlfriend saying, ‘You can’t wear jeans! Everyone wears black pants.’ I didn’t bring any black pants with me and insisted to my girlfriend and her sorority sisters that 7 For All Mankind jeans were the new black pants.”

My fellow writer, Maureen, had a similar denim epiphany. “My first were the 7 For All Mankind classic boot cut in 2001,” she says. “I remember wriggling into them in the dressing room at Barneys, studying my reflection from every angle, amazed. They combined the nonchalant quality of vintage denim with a flattering fit that transformed my forgettable backside into something noteworthy. It was nothing short of miraculous. Other styles have followed since (J Brand skinny jeans and Current/Elliott legging jeans are two current favorites), but that first pair of Sevens imparted a life-changing lesson: if you don’t feel amazing in your jeans, move on to another pair. It’s not you, it’s them.”

As for me, after moshing through the ’90s in (cringe) Gap jeans, I stumbled upon a little boutique called Bop in the new millennium. I remember feeling like I had died and gone to premium denim heaven when I walked into a space that seemed to have designer jeans from here to eternity. A blonde angel, er manager, named Kristin guided me through a myriad of fits (You mean I can actually buy different rises? This was revolutionary!), until I finally settled on the Citizens of Humanity Hutton High Rise Jeans. The dark rinse was so chic, my butt never looked so good, and the denim itself was incredibly luxe. I was so elated, I think I did an involuntary touchdown-style dance in front of the three-way mirror.

But the best thing about the premium denim trend is that it was never really a trend. The sublimely soft fabrications, expertly placed pockets, artful distressing, and made-just-for-you fit that blew us away is here to stay. And though we’ll always turn to those brands that started it all—True Religion, Paige Denim, AG Adriano Goldschmied —we’ve found new crushes in Siwy, Prps, and William Rast, to name a few.

Monday, December 28th 2009

While browsing What’s New lately, it’s the polka dots, plaids, and unique patterns that have been catching my eye. And it’s no wonder: my closet is all but dedicated to solids, solids, and more solids. So my New Year’s fashion resolution just might be to introduce my wardrobe to a few great prints.

The Issa Kimono Dress is practically a modern classic, and each new print it comes in makes me fall for it all over again. These tiny butterflies are no exception. Issa – Kimono Dress

Though I love the look of plaid on others, I’ve shied away from the rustic pattern. But Vince polishes it up with a tunic that’s perfect now with leggings and boots and with shorts come spring. Vince – Roll Sleeve Cowl Neck Plaid Top

Friday, December 25th 2009

’Tis the holiday season, and we’re off enjoying some much welcomed R and R. We’ll be back Monday with more inspired fashion observations (if we do say so ourselves). Until then, take a little walk through a few recent posts you might have missed.

Thursday, December 24th 2009

Oh the weather outside is fittingly frightful (see freezing rain), but in my fashion-addled brain, spring is afoot. Signs of a new season? Styles that define the safari-meets-military look (one of my favorites) seen on the spring 2010 runways are starting to arrive. And, unlike some of the more temperature-dependent spring fashion trends, there are plenty of khaki pieces to wear now.